John Jaffray (bookbinder) facts for kids

John Jaffray (born October 31, 1811 – died July 25, 1869) was a skilled bookbinder from London. He was an important part of the early Chartist movement. This was a group of people who wanted more political rights for working-class people. John Jaffray also collected many books and notes about the bookbinding trade. He came to London around 1836.

Jaffray was a member of a group called the London Working Men's Association. He also signed a very important document known as The People's Charter in 1836. This document asked for better political rights for everyday workers. It was an early step towards the more famous People's Charter of 1838.

The Jaffray Collection: A Look into Bookbinding History

The Jaffray Collection is a special group of old papers and items kept at the British Library. John Jaffray himself gathered most of these items. They tell the story of the art and business of bookbinding.

What's in the Collection?

The collection includes many interesting things. You can find scrapbooks, old newspaper clippings, and notes from union meetings. It also has many small, everyday items called ephemera. These include old trade cards and advertisements from bookbinding businesses.

Worker Groups and Their Stories

The collection has lots of information about groups formed by bookbinders. These were like early worker societies or unions. Some examples are the Amicable Society of Bookbinders and the Bookbinders' Friendly Benefit Society. There was also the Bookbinders' Pension Society. These groups helped bookbinders and their families.

The collection also records times when workers had disagreements with their bosses. For example, it tells about a long 30-week disagreement in 1839. This was about how many young apprentices could be hired.

How Old Is the Collection?

The items in the Jaffray Collection cover a long period. They go from the mid-1700s all the way to the early 1910s. However, John Jaffray was not alive for the earliest parts of this history. This means he must have gotten some of the older information from other people.

It is thought that Jaffray got a lot of help from a man named William Hall. William Hall was also a bookbinder. He came to London in 1781 and met John Jaffray in 1843. The collection was first looked at closely by a person named Ellic Howe around 1945. His work helped us understand the collection better.